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Thursday, 16 September 2010

The Tone Of The Journey – 4

The Blair tour around New York City has been followed by some parts of the Fourth Estate for reasons other than what he says, and which shows he guests on. Typical of this is an article on the website of the Daily Mail, written by one of the footsoldiers supporting the legendarily foul mouthed Paul Dacre.

Tone’s book is mentioned only in passing: the hack is more interested in his clothes. The outfit which he wore when appearing on the Daily Show and The View, we are told, included “a close fitting blue suit paired with 60s-style crisp white shirt and a skinny tie”. This outfit, we are told, is like something out of the drama series Mad Men.

But, so what? Is there a point to this piece? Well, yes there is, and the clue is in the last paragraph. Here, we are told by the obligatory fashionista that “The reason why it looks like Mad Men is that the cut of classic Savile Row and bespoke suits has changed very little in the past hundred years”.

“Savile Row and bespoke suits” means that Tone’s suit was expensive. He’s got more money than you. You’re supposed to be envious. That is part of the Dacre way. The Mail’s editor has always detested Blair, so no stone is left unturned to point out – subtlety is not a prerequisite here – that Tone is well minted and is now getting loads more wonga just for swanning round the TV studios.

Meanwhile, a Zelo Street regular has asked the kind of question that the assembled hackery has thus far missed. After seeing Tone on the Daily Show, an email arrived, asserting “he’s wearing a hairpiece, isn’t he?”